With some dental treatments, aggressive chemical substances are used in the mouth which can cause burning to the oral mucosa. For example, acid etching techniques in dental surgery, applying a composite filling, and bleaching with preparations containing a high percentage of peroxide are used. Furthermore, certain preparations and restorative techniques are detrimentally impacted by the presence of saliva, blood, and other fluid which may be present and/or arise during the course of a given preparation or technique. It is therefore desirable to create a barrier to these fluids and leave the preparation area clean.
During the acid etching technique the dental enamel is treated with a highly-concentrated, phosphoric acid solution or gel within a prepared tooth cavity to improve the adhesion before the application of a primer and/or bonding. The phosphoric acid solution or gel is then left to act for approximately 20 seconds on the dental enamel. When such procedures are performed in the vicinity of the gum or an adjacent tooth, it is necessary to isolate the treatment area and shield the adjacent tissues from the etching means. It is further desirable to protect the treated tooth, or similarly a plurality of teeth, relative to the surrounding tissue of the oral cavity as best as possible, to prevent, for example blood or saliva from reaching the treated tooth.
During a whitening treatment, bleaching agents with a content of up to 35 wt. % hydrogen peroxide are directly applied onto the surface of the tooth or teeth. In some instances, the bleaching agent is applied up to the vicinity of the gum margin. It is important to isolate the treatment area and protect the oral mucosa from being burned by the bleaching agent.
Currently, shielding is accomplished by using a resilient sheet made from rubber which is referred to as a dental dam. In its original and simplest form, it consists of an elastic, flat covering means, mostly in the form of a rubber cloth, which may be fastened in a frame outside the mouth. The dentist then has to perforate the sheet at suitable points and punch out holes of a corresponding size in the sheet, through which the teeth to be treated are subsequently pushed. Where the size of the holes is unsuitable or where there are imperfections on the surface of the tooth, the problem frequently arises that the resilient sheet does not sit and seal precisely or tightly enough along the gum margin and thus does not sufficiently protect the oral mucosa. The positioning of a dental dam is regarded by many dentists as too costly and awkward. In addition, the dental dam may be time consuming to use. The danger arises that when stretched or during the treatment the rubber tears or loosens. As a result the isolating effect of the dental dam is lost and the material (for example, blood, saliva, and/or other fluids) present on the exterior of the rubber sheet can enter the working area. Additionally, patients find the equipment cumbersome and the fastening of the rubber on the neck of the tooth uncomfortable.